Something Close to Heaven
by the-sixth-shinobi
Summary: The sixth installment for Tales from the sixth shinobi. With the demon triad now in his posession, Sazuka has complete control over spirit world. Will Hiei and Jin be in time to save the three worlds? Or is all hope lost? CHAP. 10 UP!
1. An unexpected visitor

Ok, now let's see. . . insert rod "A" into slot "B" and then twist until bolt becomes loose. Huh? Well that sounds perverted. But ok, here goes. Errr. Come loose. Come loose you stupid thing! Oh crap, I broke it! Inari, you would think breaking into funimation studios would be easy! That's the last time I do business with ! What? Oh, hi there everybody! -throws wrench behind back- well, as promised I'm back with another story and I know you're all going to love it! Can you believe we're already on installment 6? It feels like just yesterday that I put up "Of Ice and Wind". -sighs deeply- Well enough of this. I know you're all more than ready to start this chapter and frankly, so am I! And if you're new to my stories then I'd like to say welcome and that I hope you read all the stories before this one, lest you become lost. Now hurry up and start reading. I'll be here when you get back. -turns back around and begins loosening bolt again- stupid bolt.

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (save a tree, eat a beaver)

That night had been the worst one Hiei could ever remember. Even when he had been abandoned as an infant and forced to live by himself he did not feel so completely alone as he did right now. His fox, his Yoko had been taken away from him in the worst way possible. . . because of a misunderstanding and because of another youkai's selfish deeds. But he was not the only one who suffered loss, fore the wind master also grieved over a fallen friend. Jin had not stopped crying since Touya's soul had been taken from him and even now as Supika held him gently in her arms his sobs could still be heard, echoing through the many chambers of the barren hut.

SHHHH. JIN YOU MUST CALM DOWN. She thought silently to him. EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT.

"But it won't be. I was failin' him again, and all I was ever wantin' was ta be helpin' 'im. Now he's bein' gone and it's bein' my fault!"

THE BLAME FOR THIS DOES NOT REST ON YOU MY LITTLE DEMON. MANY THINGS HAVE TRANSPIRED OVER THESE PAST DAYS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN THIS EVENTUAL HAPPENING. AND YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO SUFFERS NOW. YOUR FRIEND, THOUGH HE DOES NOT SPEAK OF IT, IS HURTING. I CAN SENSE A GREAT SORROW IN HIM, THE LIKES OF WHICH HE HAS NEVER FELT BEFORE. IT IS DESTROYING HIM INSIDE.

"Ya, I know that Hiei's been feelin' the same as me, and I'd like ta be talkin' ta him but. . . I know he's not thinkin' the same way. He's not trustin' anybody but Kurama, and now that he's gone he'll not be trustin' anyone else." He paused for a moment. "But what about you Supika? It was bein' you who just learned that yer mom wasn't livin'."

I THINK THAT SOMEWHERE DEEP INSIDE, I KNEW THAT MY MOTHER WASN'T ALIVE. SHE HAD BEEN LYING IN THAT BED FOR SO LONG, THAT EVEN IF SHE HAD BEEN LIVING I WOULD HAVE SEEN HER AS BEING DEAD. SO IT DOES NOT SADDEN ME THAT SHE NO LONGER RESIDES IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE TO ME SHE WAS ALREADY GONE.

"What about Sazuka usin' her soul like he did?"

THAT TOO DOES NOT ANGER ME AS IT SHOULD.

"But. . .why?"

BECAUSE LITTLE DEMON. . .I HAVE FAITH THAT WAS SHALL GET IT BACK.

"But. . ." The wind master's sentence was left unfinished, fore a series of large bang filled the hallowed halls. Someone was knocking on the door with such force that the entire room seemed to shake with the very echo of it. "Huh? Who's that bein'?"

"Perhaps it's that clown back for another try." Hiei said as he unsheathed his katana.

"FRUMA?! NI JO?!. . .WHO IS IT?! WHO'S THERE?!" There was not answer given, only the knocks continued coming at faster and more frantic speeds.

"Shouldn't we be gettin' that? It isn't bein' very polite ta just let company stand out in the cold like that."

WE CAN'T LITTLE DEMON, IT COULD BE ANYONE. LIKE HIEI SAID, IT COULD EVEN BE SAZUKA COME TO TRY AND TAKE OUR SOULS AS WELL.

"I think that if it WAS bein' Sazuka, he wouldn't be bangin' on the door ta get in. Somethin' tells me he'd just be blowin' it up."

MAYBE SO, BUT WE CANNOT TAKE THAT CHANCE. "Hiei, sidzen no ocho. . . Hiei, I will open the door. Ja mo lin, tu hanna katana wa. . .when I do, be ready with your katana."

"Hn., I'm always ready."

"Sumi. . .good." She reached over, grabbed the handle, and slowly began to unlock the door. In only a few moments they would be face to face with their unexpected visitor and anything at all could happen. "Sali?. . .ready?"

"Hn."

Supika threw the door open and all at once the room was bathed in a sea of light. Hiei positioned himself, but before he could attack Jin grabbed his arm, fore he was the first to realize who had in fact been knocking. He had been the first to see the bright blue hair and the light pink kimono. "Botan? Why's it that you're bein' here?"

"Oh thank Inari I found you." She said fighting through a series of short, rushed breaths. "The spirit world is falling apart and Koenma needs your help."

Well that's the end of chapter one. Now I want all of you to take a deep breath and listen to me. I realize that many of you were made upset by the ending of the last installment and have suffered much because of it. So, I have set up for each and every one of you to attend counseling to talk about how you feel. Please take advantage of this because I don't want any of my fans to have a nervous breakdown over this story. In the meantime, I shall continue working on this installment and hopefully that should make you all feel better. So again, just try and relax and I'll meet you at chapter 2. :)


	2. Final goodbyes

Hello everyone and welcome to chapter number 2. Yes, yes, I realize that it has taken quite a bit of time to get here and that you've all been waiting. . .but let's not dwell on that. ï The important thing is that it's finally here and we can all enjoy it together. Also, since this IS the second chapter, it is time to announce who this story is dedicated to! So, in honor of the past Olympic games the bronze medal goes to Senshi – Sama, the silver goes to SilveryKitsune, and the gold goes to –drum role- HAPPY- HAPPY- CHAN! Please rise for the national anthem of Happy- Happy- Chan . . . . . . There. Happy- Happy- Chan I hope you enjoy your story, and to those of you who didn't make it I wish you better luck in upcoming stories. Now, without further petty and pointless banter. . .ON WITH CHAPTER 2!!!! ENJOY! ï

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (the national anthem of Australia is

"Advance Australia Advance")

"What do you mean 'Koenma needs our help'? He's the leader of the spirit world, let him handle things. Besides," the black haired youkai gave a look back at his lifeless partner lying upon the earthen floor. "We have much more important things to worry about."

"Hiei's bein' right Botan." He too managed a glance at the still figure resting behind him. "Let the little guy with the binky handle whatever it is that's bein' wrong."

"But that's just it! He can't! He told me he needed you and Hiei specifically and sent me out to find you right away. Something about souls being taken from spirit world."

"Hn. Again, that's HIS problem." The dragon turned away and began walking in the direction of his former lover. But before he had taken but three steps, the blue haired girl spoke again, this time delivering a brief moment of hope.

"I know all about what happened to Kurama, Hiei, as well as what has happened to Touya. Koenma told me to tell you that if you assist in the mission, he will grant permission for Kurama's soul to be placed back into his body." She directed her gaze towards the former shinobi. "The same goes for Touya, Jin."

The wind master stood there silently for a moment, a blank stare his only expression. He didn't really believe it was possible to heal and bring life to the dead (though he had seen it done with Genkai as well as Urameshi) but if Koenma gave his word then there must be something to the claim. "If we're helpin'. . ."

"If we do what the brat says then we get their souls back?"

"Yes. . .providing of course that the mission is a success. . .heh heh. . ."

"If it means getting Kurama's soul back then I can assure you, I won't fail."

"Now that sounds more like the Hiei I know! How about you Jin? Are you coming to?"

"All I ever wanted was fer Touya ta be bein' happy and smilin'. . .now he can't be doin' either. But if Koenma promises that I'll be gettin 'im back ta give it another go then of course I'll be comin' with ya! But. . ." The wind demon stopped his speech and walked across the room so that he was standing face to face with the warrior Supika. "What about you? Will ya be comin' with us to Supika? I'm sure that Koenma would be returnin' yer mom's soul just like he's givin' back Touya's and Kurama's."

The demon girl looked at Jin, the deep copper of her eyes sparkling with the ending mist of tears. But she did not speak to him, only thought the words that only he could understand.

THANK YOU LITTLE DEMON, BUT I AM AFRAID I MUST DECLINE YOUR OFFER. AS I HAVE SAID TO YOU BEFORE, TO ME MY MOTHER WAS ALREADY DEAD SO THE GAINING OF HER LIFE IS NOT SOMETHING I DESIRE AS PASSIOATELY AS YOURSELF. I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE LOSS I HAVE SUFFERED WHERE AS YOU HAVE ONLY JUST BEGUN TO GRIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS UP TO YOU AND HIEI TO HEAL THE PAIN DEEP INSIDE YOURSELVES AND RESTORE YOUR FRIENDS TO THEIR FORMER GLORY. BUT DO NOT FEAR. I SHALL REMAIN HERE AND WILL LOOK AFTER THEM BOTH WHILE YOU ARE AWAY.

"But. . ."

PLEASE LITTLE DEMON, I PROMISE THEY SHALL BE IN GOOD HANDS. AND, PERHAPS, ONE DAY WE SHALL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN AND YOU WILL TELL ME ALL ABOUT THE NEW LIFE YOU HAVE FORMED WITH TOUYA.

"I don't get it. What are they doing?"

"Baka (idiot). She's talking to him."

The blue haired youkai just stared blankly into space, her eyes wide with confusion. "I don't hear anything."

"The spirit world must be getting lax in their selection of messengers. She's speaking to him telepathically."

"Well that's not fair. How are we supposed to know what they're saying? Hey Hiei, you're a telepath. . .can you hear them?"

"Of course I can."

"Well. . "

"Well what?"

"Care to fill me in?"

"Hn. Even I can respect other people's privacy."

"Oh. Well then we'd better get moving. Come on Jin! We haven't got time to waste!"

"HOLD YOUR HORSES! I'M COMIN'! Are you sure ya don't want ta be comin' with us? We could really be usin' a person like you ta be helpin' out."

YES, I'M SURE JIN. BUT PLEASE, REMEMBER ME WHEN YOU ARE GONE AND I SHALL REMEMBER YOU FOREVER.

"I will be. But remember that there's always bein' a place for ya if you're changin' your mind."

"COME ON JIN!"

"ALRIGHT! DON'T BE GETTING' YER KIMONO IN A TWIST! Bye Supika, take good care of Touya and Kurama." And with that, the former master of wind turned back to those who stood in waiting for him. And as the three youkai left the olden hut, the memories of their fallen friends remained. And one last thought pushed its way into the wind master's mind, one single string of comfort from a new found friend. . .

I WILL LITTLE DEMON. . .I WILL. . .

!#$&()

The Beautiful Sazuka sat alone on a chair lined with the softest silk money could buy. He had everything he needed now and nothing could stand in his way. And yet. . .and yet he was not happy. Something was still missing, though he could not figure out just what it was. He had both beauty as well as fame, and soon would be the most powerful leader the makai had ever known. But there was no one to share it with, no one he even considered worthy enough to have a conversation with. All he wanted was a companion, someone with whom to share the deepest secrets of his soul. Hiei had Kurama, Yusuke had Kayko, even that air head Jin had someone whom he cared for deeply and who cared for him back in the same way. So why not he? What had he done to be so terribly alone? Why had HE been ostracized while others had been allowed to find happiness? Why had he been different?

A single tear fell from off the tip of the clown youkai's pale chin and rested upon one of the three vials which held the souls of the demons he had captured. And as it began to fade into nothingness, Sazuka told himself that none of those things mattered anymore. He had shown them, and he would show them all in the days to come. He had taken away all those who mattered most and now he was not the only one alone. . .

Wow. . .so is that really why The Beautiful Sazuka is doing this? Hmmm. . .seems kind of strange to me. Oh well, I'm sure it will all become clear in the chapters to come (hopefully they will arrive earlier than this one did). So I guess that's all for now, but be sure to check back soon for chapter 3. But just so everyone knows, I started college on August 28th and I've got two 1 hour and 30 min. classes everyday plus homework so you're gonna have to cut me some slack with the writing. See ya soon!

P.S. Senshi – San, I'm not mad at you! You're the best! Hooray Senshi – San!


	3. The collapse of worlds

Well I'm glad to see that everyone was quite satisfied with the events occurring in chapter 2, and I hope that you will be equally pleased with the events that are to take place within this chapter. Now, I'm not promising anything big, but I think you'll all be pleasantly surprised with what's about to happen. I've decided, however, to hold any major plot twists until the end of the story, so you can all take a breath. But, I have yet to figure out how many chapters this particular installment is going to be. You see, I have the habit of telling myself how many chapters an installment is going to be and I stick to that no matter what (hence why the last chapter is always the longest one). But I guess that really doesn't have much to do with anything. Best to just continue on with the story. ENJOY!

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (like sands through the hour glass, so are

the days of our lives)

Taking Yusuke to the spirit world had been one thing, taking two fully developed B class demons (Botan soon discovered) was another. There was no direct path leading to King Enma's palace, and the only conventual method of getting there was flight. In this department, the wind master was fully covered, but the grounded half breed was not so fortunate. Botan had taken a great deal of time in explaining to Hiei that he would have to ride on the oar with her, but he continued to refuse saying that he'd rather burn in the pits of demon hell than ride on the back of a stick with a overly happy blue haired freak.

"Why Hiei, I don't go around making fun of YOUR hairstyle. And trust me, it could use some work. Now come on. Swallow your pride and get on."

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU, NO!"

"But why not? It's not like you're afraid of heights or anything." Only silence was given in reply. "Oh my gosh. You are aren't you?!"

"HA HA! Now that's somethin' you'll not be hearn' everyday! 'Ol black hearted Hiei scared a bein' up high! HA HA!

"I AM NOT AFRAID YOU FLYING IDIOT!"

"Awe come on now, it's nothin' ta be bein' ashamed a. We've all got somethin' we're bein' afraid of." He leaned down close to Hiei's ear. "Mine's spiders. I just can't be standin' those things they're bein' so creepy and all. I get Touya ta squash 'em when ever they're getting' too close." He stood erect once again. "All ya've got ta be doin' is facin' yer fears and Gama was once tellin' me that the best way was ta be jumpin' right in! So, with that in mind. . ." The wind master jumped high into the air, using the force of his tremendous wind to lift him higher still, until he was only a small speck in an endless sky. But he did not remain that way for long. The former shinobi dove towards the two remaining demons gaining more and more speed as he did. The black haired youkai did not have time to react. Before he knew it, he had been swept up into the air, being carried by his underarms by the wind master.

"I'm warning you Jin, if you don't let me down this instant I'll send you to spirit world myself!'

"Awe, stop yer strugglin' Hiei and we'll be bein' there before ya know it. COME ON BOTAN! I'VE GOT HIM!"

"Alright, let's be on our way!" And with that, the demon girl mounted her oar and rose into the darkening sky.

!#$&()

"Koenma sir, maybe you should stop pacing. You're going to ware a hole in the floor and King Enma won't be too happy."

The toddler demon turned to face his blue skinned companion, his eyes shut in angered concentration. "How can I stand still when the entire makai is about to be destroyed?!"

The ogre grew a look of panic, but then replaced it with a favored widened grin, a single bead of sweat hanging from his forehead. "Awe, come on now Koenma, it can't be that serious. So a clown has gotten hold of a few souls, what's the big deal? You control the spirit world after all."

"Errrr. . .IT'S NOT THAT HE TOOK THE SOULS YOU BLUE IDIOT! IT'S WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO WITH THEM THAT'S THE PROBLEM! If Sazuka is able to harness the true power of the demon triad, the all the powers of the three worlds combined won't be enough to stop him."

"Is that why you sent Botan out to get Hiei and Jin?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that. I needed. . ."

"KOENMA WE'RE HERE!" The demon trio had burst through the large set of double doors and was now running (or flying as it were) toward the demonic prince. "Sorry we're late." The youkai girl said as she stood before him.

"Ya, I'm bein' a bit sorry to. We couldn't be getting' Hiei ta ride the oar so I was havin' ta carry 'im, but that's kind of a long story. And as me master was always sayin', 'better late then never'!"

"Indeed, but be that as it may, in times of crisis such as this it is often good to be on time."

"Excuse me, but would it be alright with all of you if this jibberish talking idiot were to PUT ME DOWN!"

The three grounded demons looked upward to see a struggling and very angered Hiei, still being held by the smiling wind demon. "Oh sorry Hiei! I was holdin' ya there for so long it was kindda feelin' like you were part a me! Down ya go then!" Hands released and the black haired youkai fell calmly to the floor, using his incredible speed to make it appear as though he had teleported there.

Their eyes once again fell on Koenma, and it was Hiei who asked the question they all had burning within them. "So, why exactly are we here?"

"I'm glad you asked, Hiei. You undoubtedly know that Sazuka now has all that he needs to create the demon triad." Jin nodded in response. "And you must also know that power of the triad is so great that a demon could, in theory, rule the entire makai and the worlds beyond with it?" Again a nod from the wind master was given. "Then the reason I called you here should come as no surprise. I need you both to track down that clown and stop him before he has a chance to begin the spell."

"Hn. Why don't you just get that fool Yusuke to do it? You've had HIM do your dirty work in the past, not us."

"Trust me, I would Hiei. But unfortunately you and Jin are the only ones the souls will respond to."

"What do you mean?"

"Souls are like children, Hiei, they cling to those they are familiar with. Mujihi will recognize you instantly and will follow you once you find him." He turned his gaze toward the wind master. "The same is true for Touya's soul, Jin. If anyone else were to try to persuade these beings into coming back to spirit world, they would revolt and only hold more strongly to their current master."

"Well that's bein' good for the ice and the fire, but what about Kanzaki?"

"What?"

"The wind part a the triad! Ya know? Supika's mom?"

Koenma thought for a moment, his pacifier moving slightly in his mouth as he did. "I would imagine that Kanzaki's spirit would follow Mujihi's, as she was in love with him at the time of her death. But, if she will not come then it's of no concern to us right now. It's better if Sazuka has one demon instead of two or all three. And if worse comes to worse, I'm sure Supika would be more than willing to assist us."

"And what do WE get for bailing you out?"

"I though I told Botan to explain it to you. It is not a very easy matter bring those that have died back into the living world. Putting them back in their original bodies is only half of it, there's also mountains of paperwork that have to be filed years in advance! It really is a pain in the rear. But. . .I've already may the necessary arrangements to have both Kurama's and Touya's souls returned to them. . .providing you win your battle and the spirit world is still under MY control."

"Botan was sayin' somethin' about the spirit world fallen apart and that's why you were needin' us. But the place is lookin' damn near fine ta me!"

"That's because, Jin, the damage that is being done is not happening on the outside."

"Huh?"

"You see, when a soul arrives here, it is assigned its resting place based upon the amount of good verses bad deeds done in the mortal life. Once it is placed, the spirit must remain there until another physical body can be provided or, in the case of those who lived an immoral life, their sentence is up. If a spirit is removed before its time is up, it creates an upset in balance. The world starts searching for the missing souls, and in the process starts to eliminate other souls in order to shorten the amount of places it must search. I fear that we may have little more than a week before the spirit world is entirely wiped away, and with nowhere to place the souls of the newly dead, people will become immortal, both the makai and nigenkai will become overpopulated, and all three worlds will come to an end."

"So you're saying we have a week to find the bastard, kill him, and return here before everything is destroyed?"

"In a nutshell. . .yes."

"Hn."

"Awe come on Hiei! Have a heart!"

The fire demon's only response was a rather quick turn of the head, his red eyes cast upwards in a look of detest and utter annoyment. "Ah! See? I KNEW YOU'D BE BEIN' A PAL! COME ON THEN! WE'D BETTER BE OFF IF WE'RE ONLY HAVIN' A WEEK!"

Again, there was only silence from the half breed. He knew that this was something he had to do. . .he just wished he wouldn't have to fly back down in the arms of that red haired idiot.

!#$&()

Outside Koenma's palace, the two youkai stood ready to depart. Botan had stayed inside to help the demon prince with some last minute paperwork, so there was no one to see them off. "Hiei, I'm really bein' glad that ya decided ta do this and be taggin' along."

"Hn. Rest assured I'm not doing this for Koenma, the idea of immortality suits me fine."

"Then, why be doin' it at all then?"

"Don't you ever shut up?"

"Alright then, shall I carry ya like on the way up?"

"No. I can manage the way down without your oafish assistance."

"Suit yerself then. SEE YA ON THE GROUND!" The wind master jumped once and then began his descent toward the earth below. Behind him, the black haired youkai took his mark, ready to make his final leap.

"Good luck Hiei."

The demon turned, startled by this sudden new found voice, and behind him stood the sight he had secretly longed to see. Kurama, with his silver locks floating in the stale wind, gazed upon him with look only a long time friend and lover could give. It was the most beautiful thing the fire youkai had ever seen and he feared that it was all about to end too quickly. "I miss you already itoshii (my love)."

Hiei gave the kitsune his secret half smile, then one he saved for his lover and his lover alone. "I'll be back soon. . .I promise."

"I'll be waiting. . ." And just as suddenly as Kurama had appeared, he was gone, lost among the endless clouds and stars. But the dragon knew that this would not be the last time he would see his itoshii (lover). . .or at least. . .that's what he forced himself to believe.

IF I DON'T SAVE HIM IN TIME. The black haired demon thought to himself as he fell toward earth. IT WON'T MATTER IF THE WORLD IS DESTROYED. . .MY WORLD WILL ALREADY BE GONE. . .

So sorry to have had it take this long everyone! But I'm sure you all can forgive me! I had so many problems, what with school, friends, homework, studying, and things like that. Plus, the site told me I was reported and couldn't post for awhile. Oh well, that's all in the past now, time to move on and such. I hope you all enjoyed chapter 3 and will give me many, many good reviews (seeing as how I had to remove this story so all former reviews were deleted). I hope to have chapter 4 up within the first few weeks of October, but like always I make no guarantees. Just try and bare with me until December (it'll be x-mas break and I'll have the whole month off!). See you all soon and don't forget to extra review to make up for the ones that were lost! –smiles wide and teeth shine- pretty please?


	4. A tale from the past

Oh. . .this is a story 'bout a guy named Al, and he lived in the sewer with his hamster pal. But the sanitation workers really didn't approve, so he packed up his accordion and had to move to a city in Ohio where he lived in a tree, and he worked in a nasal decongestant factory. And he played on the company bowling team, and every single night he had a strange reoccurring dream where he was wearing pink pajamas in a vat of sour cream (but that's really not important to the story). Well the very next year he met a dental hygienist with a spatula tattooed on her arm. But he didn't keep in touch and he lost her number, so he got himself a job on a tatter-tot farm. Then he spent his life savings on a split level cave 20 miles below the surface of the earth, and he really makes a mighty fine jellybean and pickle sandwich (for what it's worth). Then one day Al was in the forest trying to get a tan, when he heard the tortured screaming of a funny little man. He was caught in a bear trap and Al set him free and the guy that he rescued was as grateful as could be, and it turns out he's a big shot producer on TV. So he gives Al a contract and what do ya know? Now he's got his very own weird Al show! .............ya I know......that was stupid and long......on with chapter 4. ENJOY!

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (after these messages we'll be right back)

After a few minutes of walking, the demon pair came to a rather disturbing conclusion...neither of them knew where they were going. It had become apparent to both youkai early on that Sazuka had masked his you-ki, and in so doing would be nearly impossible to locate among the multitude of drifting energies. Their only hope was to concentrate, and if they were lucky, pick up a familiar trace from either their lost friends or the fiendish clown. "Hiei, can you be sensin' anythin'? I know it's only bein' a minute sense we were leavin' but I'm thinkin' Sazuka would be bein' around here."

"Hn."

"It's like he's knowin' that we're out here, and he's wantin' us ta know where he is. I'm feelin' him everywhere...like....like he's bein' really close."

"He's toying with us. He knows we want to find him and he wants to be found. He thinks that it will confuse us if he makes it seem like it's going to be easy."

"So, is he bein' near by or isn't he?"

"Hn. We won't know that until we find him."

!#$&()

The life of a warrior was a sad and lonely one, and none new that better than Supika. After Sazuka had left her village the first time and her mother had entered into her deadening sleep, she had vowed to devote her life to her training and not to be distracted by the complicated matters of the heart. But now she could no longer help it. Supika had never seen love before, had never had it enter her as it did now. Even her father had shown her no affection in her childhood, and left her with little more then a farewell when he had left on her fifth birthday. And because Kanzaki had never been loved by the one she adored, she could not show her daughter what it was to embrace the warmth of another.

There was a time, however, when this had not been true, a time when she had allowed her emotions to run from her like tears of endless joy. And now, as she sat in waiting by the sides of those who had lost their lovers' war, Supika could not help but reflect upon those days. . .

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry to interrupt everyone, but I need your attention for a moment. The next few paragraphs will be presented from Supika's point of view. I hope this does not confuse anyone and I greatly apologize if it does. smiles. On with the story!)

It was eight years ago. Oh Inari, has it really been that long? I was nineteen then, just a child, but I felt as though I were strong enough to take on the entire world. I thought that I knew everything, could do anything, and that I would escape it all unharmed. I thought that I was bullet proof. What a fool I was. I guess I never saw what was really there, what was really in front of me. I was blind to my own trivialities and imperfections. But, I suppose that's what being young is all about. . .not knowing who you really are.

Back then I had devoted every second to my training. Not because I wanted to improve my strength, but because I wanted to win. I wanted to win the greatest prize in all of makai history, I wanted my every wish to be granted. The only way to do this, however, was to show the world how great I really was. I had to prove to every youkai that I had the capability of defeating them, with nothing but a smoldering pile of ashes left in their wake and I was quick in realizing that that was easier than it seemed.

I was incredibly gifted in the art of you-ki and had a nearly in explainable talent for fighting. C class, B class, even A class, I could conquer them all, and it was probably this that led to my inevitable fall. I tried to enter the makai tournament myself that year, I didn't think I needed anybody else. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately depending on how you look at it, they wouldn't let me, as it was against committee rules to allow a solo fighter. I was discouraged but made my due with it, and settled for tickets to the closing rounds. I guess that's when it all happened.

I didn't want to bother myself with the lesser rounds of the tournament, figuring that anyone worth seeing would make it to the finals. It had cost me nearly everything I had, but I managed to get seats for the last four rounds, and I can remember anxiously waiting for them to arrive.

On the day just before the first semi-final match, I found myself wandering the grounds around the stadium. I don't recall exactly what it was I was looking for (I really don't think it was anything too important), but about an hour into my trek I can across a great disturbance in the surrounding you-ki. A creature of considerable size was producing spirit energy at such a magnitude that I was scarcely sure that if I came to fight this monster, that I would be the victor. But still, something pressed me to go on, to move forward even though inside I was so desperately afraid. With each step I took the feeling inside me grew stronger and I found myself unable to turn back. I was mesmerized by this new sensation and knew that, no matter the cost, I had to find its source.

About twenty minutes later, I came across a clearing that was surrounded on all sides by pine trees. If I close my eyes I can still smell their musky odor and hear the wind rustling through their branches. Part of me didn't want to see what lay beyond those woodland giants, but I did not realize this until I felt my hand brush away a path for my eyes. I only wanted to see what was there and remain cloaked from whatever it was I was frightened of, but this was not to be. I took one final step forward and, in so doing, exposed myself entirely to the creature I was about to face. But I did not pull back, only stood there in awe of what was now before me. A man, with eyes that seemed to pierce my very soul glowed before me, and I knew then what the feeling growing inside me really was. It was on that day, that unexplainable day, that I fell in love. . .

La – de – da, ya I know that this doesn't seem like it has any meaning to the story whatsoever, and maybe it doesn't, but I thought it was high time Supika had a chance to tell her story. She can't be expected to just sit and wait for Jin and Hiei to return, she's a warrior for Inari's sake! Anyway, I've finally figured out how many chapters this installment will be and have FINALLY gotten around to making up a decent story line. Now, I'm probably NOT going to stick to it (I never do) but I think that it will make for some interesting surprises. On a final note, where have all my fans gone off to? COME BACK MY FANS, COME BACK! I MISS YOU!


	5. The one to change it all

Wow, look at us. . .ready and waiting with chapter 5 ready to go! Good for us! That's why we're a team! Well, that and other reasons I'm sure. In any case, we're not as good a team as the Red Sox. Now THERE'S a group of people one can be proud of. Not that I'm not proud of all of you. . .but when was the last time any of YOU came back from three games to none against the Yankees to win the ALCS division title and then the World Series? I didn't think so. GO RED SOX! THE CURSE HAS BEEN BROKEN! Well, now that that's out of the way, let's continue with what we all came here for...HADCORE NUDITY! Or chapter 5. . .ya that's it. . .chapter 5. . .

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (in the game of chess you can never let your

opponent see you pieces)

Four days had passed since the demonic trio had left the gates of Mizuumi no Himitsu, and the sullen figure of Supika remained where she had promised. She had vowed to Jin that she would look after his frozen warrior of ice, and to that vow she would hold. But today was going to be different, today she was going to throw off her chains and aide in the capture of that hideous clown . . . she only need wait for her guest to arrive . . .

!#$&()

"I wonder what Supika wants?" The blue haired youkai said to no one in particular as she drifted downward to the grounds below. "She sounded a little bit frightened, I hope everything's ok. Maybe the strain of taking care of two dead bodies is getting to her. I know I had trouble with it MY first week when I started working for Koenma. Oh, but just listen to me talk to myself, I'm sure she's fine. Really Botan, you must stop worrying or your hair is going to turn gray and you wouldn't want Koenma replacing you with someone younger just yet! Oh look, there's Supika's village!" The oar bent slightly downward, as if in response to the youkai girl's subtle remark, and began a rather graceful decent. Within a few seconds Botan found herself standing, once again, at the demon warrior's door, hand raised slightly in anticipation. She knocked once, then twice, and then once more to ensure that the message was received by those on the other side, and it was not long before a response was given.

"HANASHIMAS SHITTE! . . .COME IN!"

The door creaked loudly as the blue haired youkai pushed it forward. It almost gave the impression of leading to certain doom (as a creaky door often does in stories such as these), but beyond it lay a familiar sight. Supika was there, as she always had been . . . waiting with a smile spread across her reddish lips. "Hello Supika, glad to see you again! What is it you wanted?"

The warrior said nothing for a moment, but then took in a deep breath and said what she knew she had to. "Yo swanlo mai ja ne su. . .I have found something that may be able to help in your search."

"Wonderful! What is it? A map? A letter from him stating his exact whereabouts? A readout from a tracking device? Any of those would be great and would make my job a lot easier." She smiled widely.

"Donwa. . .better. shutton mai ii Sazuka can miagi no sai han. . .when Sazuka first came here he was very careful about what he did and did not do. Demo naka demona ie shi. . .but then he became careless and left behind. . .sono. . .this." She held up her hand, and in it she held the single item that would solve the case, and Botan knew that now. . .they might just have a chance.

!#$&()

"Hiei, we've been lookin' for four days now and we haven' so much as gotten a whiff a that smilin' freak."

"Hn. Tracking is an art form, you can't expect to just walk down the street and find who it is you're looking for."

"But we've been searchin' everywhere and we're only havin' three days left. If we don't find him soon, Koenma's gonna be havin' our rear ends."

"Like I've said before, I'm not doing this for him. The collapse of the three worlds is almost a comforting thought for me."

"So then the only thing keepin' ya here is Kurama isn't it?"

"Hn."

"Awe come on Hiei, ya can tell me! I promise ta be keepin' it a secret."

The black haired youkai could not help the anger swelling up inside of him. It seemed like every hour since their journey had begun, the wind master had found some way to bring up his dead companion and that was not the worst of it. Jin was all too open with his feelings, something which the fire youkai was not accustomed to. Even when he and Kurama had begun their lives together, they hardly ever spoke about feelings whether they be past, present, or future. It was just an understanding they had. If Hiei felt like talking, then he would . . . but most of the time, he didn't. Now, all the wind master wanted to do was talk, and the dragon could not take it any longer. "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS JIN! NOT WITH YOU, NOT WITH ANYONE! MY THOUGHTS ARE MY OWN! JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO OPEN YOUR MOUTH ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING, DOESN'T MEAN I DO!"

The wind master was stood silent for a moment. Hiei had never spoken to him that way before, not even after the tournament had ended and his hatred for the Shinobi had risen. It was painfully clear to Jin that Hiei wanted nothing to do with him, and would probably never consider him a friend. "Gosh Hiei, I'm sorry. I didn't know I was bein' such a pain in yer rear end. I was just tryin' ta be friendly is all . . ."

"Let's get one thing straight Jin."

"Ok."

"I . . . HATE . . .Y" (beep beep) "Huh?" (beep beep) (beep beep) "What vile creature is making that noise?" (beep beep)

"Huh? What? Oh! It's bein' this thing here." (beep beep) Jin reached into the left pocket of his whitish pants, and extracted from it what appeared to be a compact (the kind nigen females carry around with them in order to do a few last minute touch-ups).

"This is no time to be worried about your make-up." (beep beep)

"Don't be daft Hiei! I wouldn't be caught dead dressin' like a girl . . .although there was that one time when I was gettin' drunk in the everglades . . .uh um uh, but anyway, this is bein' one a those spirit world communicator disks. Botan was givin' it ta me right before we left the palace. Ya know, ta be keepin' in touch if we needed somethin'." (beep beep) (beep beep)

"Well?" (beep beep)

"Well what?" (beep beep)

"ANSWER IT!" (beep beep)

"Oh, right" He flipped it open, and where the mirror portion of the compact should have been, the image of a very excited looking grim reaper now was. "Why hello Botan! What can I do for ya?!"

"Finally! I've been on the line for five minutes! I was starting to think Koenma had bought the cheap kind again and I was never going to get a hold of you!"

"well, ya've got us now, so what's the emergency bein'?"

"I'm here with Supika, and she has something that is going to turn this case upside down and backwards."

"Ya? And what's that bein'?"

"Hair, Jin . . . Sazuka's hair."

Here I come to save the day! Yes, it is I, this spirit of the Boston Red Sox here to say "HA" to all of those non-believers. I know that this is the time when thesixthshinobi normally does their closing remarks, but for the moment I have taken over. Don't worry though, they will be back to host the beginning of chapter 6 which will probably be in a few weeks. Well, I've got other places to go, people to see, and closing authors' notes to invade. I'll see you all again next year, because the curse HAS BEEN BROKEN!


	6. The real meaning

"Don't you ever laugh as a hearse goes by, fore you may be the next to die. They wrap you up in a big white sheet, from your head down to your feet. They put you in a big black box, and cover you up with dirt and rocks. All goes well for about one week, then your coffin begins to leak. The worms crawl in the worms crawl out, the worms make pinholes in your snout. Your stomach turns a slimy green, and puss pours out like whipping cream. You put that on a slice of bread, and that's what you eat when you are dead!" That was one of my favorite Halloween songs when I was a kid. You could also sing "your eyes fall out and your teeth decay, and that's the end of a perfect day" after that part about the worms making pinholes....but I like my version better. Just thought I'd share that with you. Anyway, here's chapter 6 just as promised. It's not going to be THAT long, but I think you'll enjoy it just the same. Oh, and before I forget....I'd like to say hello to my two brand new reviewers: AngelKitsune and Mystic-Black-Fox....may you both enjoy my stories to the fullest! Oh, and Mystic-Black-Fox, thanks for the chibis! I'll treasure them always. : ) ! ENJOY! : )

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (give me liberty, or a bran muffin!)

After yet another full day of travel, the wind master and the fire youkai found themselves once again within the walls of Supika's earthen hut. Though in total only five days had passed since they had left, Jin felt as though it had been a thousand years. In truth, this place felt familiar to him, almost like a dream that he had long since forgotten. If he could have picked anywhere in the three world to live out the rest of his days, there was no question in his mind that this place, this village would have become his home.

"Well, it's about time you two got here! We've been waiting forever!"

"We didn't come here to listen to you complain. You said you had something for us so either hand it over or shut the hell up."

Botan looked at the fire demon for a moment. Hiei had never been one for pleasant conversation, but that didn't give him the right to be so blatantly rude. Still, there was no getting around it. Hiei was Hiei, and that's all there was to it. "I apologize, Hiei, but surely you realize how important the success of this mission is? There are only two days left now, and Koenma would really like to see this all wrapped up before the three worlds are completely destroyed."

"So then why are you wasting our time with your useless banter. Get to the point."

"Oh, right, almost forgot." She reached into the sleeve of her kimono and extended the extracted object towards the demon pair. "Here."

The two stared at what the youkai girl now held before them. It was a lock of hair that appeared a bright yellow in color and that looked stiff as if from being styled in an odd fashion. There was no question in either of their minds that this hair did, in fact, belong to Sazuka. "Ya, so that's bein' the hair you were talkin' about on that niffty little walkie talkie thing. But what's makin' it such a big deal?"

"Glad you asked Jin! Yusuke may not have gotten much use out of this, but now seems like the perfect opportunity to try it out!" Once again she reached into her kimono's sleeve, but this time produced an item similar to that of a nigen watch.

"Hey, I'm knowin' what that is! That's bein' the demon compass Urameshi was usin' ta be trackin' down 'ol Hiei here (he was tellin' me about it once)! But how's it gonna be helpin' us?"

"Well Jin, after Yusuke first used it to track down Hiei" The fire demon gave an annoyed "Hn" to this. "Koenma ordered that a few modifications be made. Now, it comes equipped with a system that can track down a demon using DNA. All you have to do is provide a sample, place it in the center, and the compass will do the rest!"

"And the DNA we have is that clown's filthy hair?"

"Correct Hiei!"

"Then hurry up and use it so we can find him! You could have done all this before and used that make-up mirror to tell us where to look. But instead, you drag us all the way here, completely wasting a day!"

"Oh....I guess you're right.....sorry. But anyway, here goes nothing!" The female youkai placed the golden strands within the hidden compartment of the demon compass and, within moments, was rewarded with a very concise readout of where the demonic clown was hiding. "Well, I'll be. . .why would he go there?"

"What's bein' the matter Botan? What's it sayin'? Where's he bein'?"

But Botan spoke no words, only stared at the compass in disbelief. Finally, as he had done many times before, Hiei broke her thoughts with a short yet powerful remark. "Well? What does it say? Where the hell is he?"

The demon girl raised her eyes slowly from the item she now held, and finally came to rest them on the youkai pair. It all came down to this. Their hopes, their dreams, the resurrection of their friends all relied on this one simple answer. Little did any of them know . . . how much danger was stored within those words. "Hanging Neck Island." She said. "He's on Hanging Neck Island . . ."

!#$&()

THIS WIND FEELS STRONGER NOW. Sazuka thought to himself as he stood on the very edge of Aijin Cliff. THEY MUST KNOW I'M HERE. OH WELL, IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW. . .IT WILL ALL BE OVER SOON. Waves from the Kanashimi Ocean broke on the rocks underneath him, and along with bits of the cliff, carried with them the broken pieces of his soul. Truth be told, Sazuka himself did not know why he was doing this, he really had no reason to be. Everything in his life just seemed worthless now, and he saw no reason to continue on. Once he released the demon triad everything that pained him would cease to exist, and he himself would become nothing more than a drop of water in an endless sea of despair. Even the great King Enma himself believed that the triad would grant its user the unlimited powers of the universe, and that in itself was true. But, it did so by ridding the world of all life and bestowing the curse of immortality upon its master. In all, the triad was not a weapon with which to punish the world, but one with which to punish one's self. SOON I WILL HAVE THE LIFE I DESERVE. Sazuka thought. SOON I SHALL FINALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE HORRIBLE DEEDS I HAVE DONE AND CAN FINALLY BE. . .FORGIVEN. . .

Ok, so what exactly is up with Sazuka? One chapter he's evil, the next he's confused and depressed. I WISH HE'D JUST MAKE UP HIS MIND!!!! But, that's the joy of writing these stories. The characters just take on a life of their own and I get to watch them grow, mature, and finally wither away into people's memories. To me, there is no greater pleasure than breathing life into one of my thoughts and watching it come alive, and to watch as all of you (for a moment) see what it is I see. And I often wonder to myself if we are, in fact, seeing the same thing. Maybe you are seeing them in different light, or maybe in no light at all. Maybe you're seeing them in black and white, or in the cloudiness of a dream. Or perhaps, you're no seeing them at all. . . In any case, thank you for reading up to this point and I'll see you at chapter 7. : )


	7. Memories lost and found

I think it's high time we all had a Japanese lesson, and I have come prepared! –pulls out briefcase and papers- Here we go! This is a mental conversation I think Jin would have with Touya (kind of like a song playing in the background while the story is going on). . .I hope you enjoy it! : )

JIN: watashi wa to ieba, anata wo omoi kono machi de atarashii kaze ni fukarete sukoshi no fuan mo, dakishime nagara kanaetai ashita dake wo, mitsumete ikiru (Speaking of myself, I still remember you. A new wind blows in this town now. I felt slightly anxious, so I hugged you a long time. I want to grant your every wish and stay with you, even if for only a day.)

TOUYA: shounen no kokoro no mama, otonani natta hito futari deatta ano hi ni wo modorenai kedo hitomi wo tojireba, hohoemu kao ga (While still having the heart of a boy, he became a man. Even though we can't return to that day we met, if I close my eyes I can still see your smiling face. Could it be that you're still singing that favorite song?)

JIN: tokiori jibun ga, kirai ni naru no wa karu hazumi na kotoba de dare ka wo kizutsuke sono kuse yowakute, chippoke dakara nigeyouto suru watashi wo shikatte kudasai (As time passed, I began to hate myself. As someone was hurt, by those light words of refuse that habit of weakness, for any small reason. Please scold me for trying to run away.

TOUYA: futari de utatta melody, kuchi zusande mireba namida hitotsuji nagarete, aitakunatta (The melody that the two of us were singing, you can hear me humming it still. I cried for an hour, when I couldn't see you anymore.)

JIN: degiri aeta kisetsu, azaya ka sugiru memory mayoi nayabu mirai mo, anata wo wasurenai (The season when we met, those vivid passing memories. I may be lost and confused about the future, but I will not forget you.)

TOUYA: anata wo wasurenai (I will not forget you.)

Well, now that that's done, here is chapter 7. ENJOY! : )

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (anata wo wasurenai!)

The island had not changed at all since the last time Jin had seen it. The trees were still the silent guardians they always had been and the ocean had remained as blue as a cloudless summer morning. It was perfect, and Jin could not help himself from remembering how much Touya had loved it…how much he had wanted it to be their home. But he was not the only one whose memory had been awakened. Hiei too had loved this place (though he would never admit it), fore it held a great amount of importance for him. It was in this very place that he had been able to master the dreaded dragon of the darkness flame, aid in the destruction of Team Toguro, and reach the level of an "A" class demon.

The fire demon sniffed the air. "I can smell him, he's close by."

"That's one mighty fine nose you're havin' there Hiei. Makes me wishin' mine was bein' like that. Then maybe I could be bein' the hero for once!"

The youkai did not dignify the statement with a response. Instead, he turned in the direction of the forest and began what he was sure would be a long and mentally exhausting hike.

!#$&()

Six hours. Six hours of walking and the demon pair had nothing to show for it, save for the blisters beginning to surface on the bottoms of their tired feet. "Hiei, can you still be smellin' 'im? 'Cause if ya can't then I think we're wastin' our time walkin' around like we are."

"Hn. Of course I can. I just don't understand why he isn't moving."

"What do ya mean?"

"Don't you know anything? If we can sense him, then he can sense us as well. He knows we're looking for him and he's not trying to escape."

"Well maybe he's bein' hurt and can't be movin'."

"Then I would smell his blood. He wants us to find him."

"If that's bein' the case then I think we can be restin' for a little while. I don't know about you, but if we end up meetin' Sazuka I'm not gonna be able ta fight him if I can't be keepin' my eyes open."

"We only have a few hours left and you want to sleep! I thought you were a shinobi!"

"I was only sayin' it 'cause we were near the hotel is all."

"Hotel…what hotel?"

"The one we were all stayin' at durin' the dark tournament! I remember it's bein' around here 'cause a that tree next ta ya that's havin' the big hole in the middle. I used ta pretend it was Risho flappin' his gums at me, and practice hittin' it ta be getting' my strength up. Lot a good that was doin' me!"

"How close is it?"

"It's bein' right behind that line of trees there. Oh please Hiei, can't we be restin' just a little while? If you're sayin' yes, I promise I won't be sayin' another word to ya the rest a the way."

The fire demon spoke no words for a moment. As a demonic guard, he had trained himself to go many nights without sleep, and he was ready to do the same now. But he knew the red haired idiot had a point. He couldn't fight Sazuka at full strength as he was now, and if by chance he lost, he would never see Kurama again. Not to mention the fact that the idea of traveling the rest of the way in complete silence was something the dragon could not pass up. . .

!#$&()

The hotel was deserted now, and had been for many years. With the changing seasons the wallpaper had begun to crack and the rooms left dim from dust and lack of cleaning. But the feelings were the same inside, and the significance of this place made itself known to any who happened to wander inside. The same held true for the two youkai who now rested within its walls. Hiei had started a fire for them, using a lesser form of his fist of the mortal flame, and Jin had made the place a little more livable by tidying up the rooms they were to sleep in.

After about an hour, night fell and the only light the remained was the orange flame produced by the fire. True to his word, Jin had not spoken to the dragon since his rather reluctant agreement to sleep, but now there was a burning inside of him….one that would not be so easily set aside.

The fire youkai had chosen to explore the rest of the hotel, and had not yet returned though it had been more than half an hour. But the wind demon did not worry. He could sense the half breed as though he were still in the room, and Jin knew exactly where he had gone. After a few moments, Jin found the youkai where he thought he'd be….in room 402….the room he had shared with Kurama during the dark tournament so many years before.

"Hiei? Hiei why are ya bein' in here? What's bein' the matter?"

The fire demon did not bother mentioning that the wind youkai had broken his promise to remain silent. Truth be told, he couldn't have cared less. This place, this island, this room held so many memories for him…and try as he might, he could not escape the feelings of overwhelming sorrow that were welling up inside of him. "This is where he told me."

"Who?"

"Kurama. This is where he told me for the first time how he felt about me. I was in that bed by the corner. He thought I was sleeping. He whispered how thankful he was that I had survived, and that if Bui had killed me he would have destroyed the entire makai to avenge me. He said that he loved me, and that he could not live his life without me there beside him. I felt the same way. I don't know if he knew I was awake, but he told me everything that night…and I told HIM everything a year later."

"Why are ya tellin' me all this now?"

"I don't know. This place just makes me remember all the things Kurama and I have been through, and that I may never see him again."

"We're not bein' so different Hiei, I'm getting' the same feelin' from this place. Touya was never tellin' me he loved me here, but I know he was feelin' it just the same. I just can't believe it's comin' down ta this, and that I might not be able ta see him smilin' anymore. You're lucky that you and Kurama were knowin' that ya cared for each other….me and Touya never had that. In fact, I don't think I was ever really tellin' 'im how I was feelin'. So in a way, I envy you."

The demonic pair looked into each other's eyes and both could see the pain that lurked behind the other's. After a few seconds, Hiei broke the connection, but the feelings of sadness still remained within him. "We'll be getting' Kurama back Hiei, and Touya for that matter. I promise ya that."

The fire youkai didn't respond, only walked towards the door. But before he left he turned and spoke the only words he could think to say. "Thank you Jin." And then he was gone, his lessening shadow the only thing remaining on the decaying walls."

"No Hiei, thank you" the wind master whispered. "Thank you…"

OK! OK! STOP YELLING! And wipe that scowl off your face…it's scaring me. I know that nothing happened in this chapter, but I PROMISE there'll be much more in the next one. The battle with Sazuka's coming and we're nearing the end of this installment (that means a butt load of plot twists are coming your way). I hope everybody's thanksgiving went well (no food poisoning or anything), and I hope to hear from all of you soon. See ya at chapter 8! : )


	8. The battle begins

Heeeeelllllllloooooo beautiful people! Did you miss me? Well of course you did! And I missed you too. It just wasn't the same without you, and I nearly couldn't stand not writing or posting. But, you will be happy to know that I had a wonderful time on my trip and was able to smuggle back presents for you all. Just reach your hand into my little bag of tricks here and take whatever it is your heart desires. Go ahead, don't be shy. I've got chopsticks, daruma dolls, Buddha statues, coffee in a can, kimonos, candies, basically anything you want! Think of it as my way of saying thanks for putting up with me thus far, and as a belated x-mas gift. Well, I suppose that's enough talk, after all, it's been awhile since my last chapter. So, here we go!

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (what if the hokee pokee really IS what it's all

about?)

The next morning seemed to come all too soon for the wind master, and as he lay in waiting he found himself secretly dreading the events to come. Sazuka was a powerful demon and quite a force to be reckoned with and if he and Hiei did not come up with a decent plan, Jin knew their powers alone would not be enough to vanquish that vile clown. But the fire demon had been no help. Instead of forming a strategy with his lesser companion, Hiei had been keen on keeping to himself. So, if there was a plan going to be put into play, the wind demon knew nothing of it.

After a few more moments of silent contemplation, Jin began the process of the morning's preparations. He sat up, swung his feet over the side of the bed, stood up, and made his way outside. As he had expected, the fire youkai was already there, practicing his hand to hand combat on a nearby tree, and Jin could not help but wonder why Hiei was not using his dragon of the darkness flame. But that hardly mattered. Both of them could sense the intensity of the battle that was approaching, and both knew that the outcome could possibly be the final chapter of their lives (though neither would admit it).

"Why Hiei, it's so good ta be seein' ya up and about like this! After last night, I was bein' a bit afraid that you were gonna be goin' soft on me!" He slapped the black haired youkai on the back.

The dragon turned his head and looked upon the wind master with a gaze that would have surely struck him dead had looks had the power to do so. The battle to end all battles was coming, and this red headed idiot was making jokes as though this were the nigen chess finals! It was all Hiei could do from killing the wind master right there and then. "I see YOU'RE finally awake. Have a good nap?" His words were harsh and were said with more malice than Jin had ever heard before.

"Ya, mine was goin' all right. How was yours bein'?"

"I, unlike you, do not have time for such trivialities."

"Awe, come on now Hiei, before I was goin' off ta dream land I was lookin' over and you were already bein' there before me!"

"Err."

"Ya! You were even havin' yer thumb in yer mouth, lookin' just like a little baby! It was all I could do ta stop from singin'…how's that song goin' now? 'hush little Hiei, don't say a word. Jin's gonna buy ya a mocking bird'. That one there! Ya know, you're kindda cute when yer sleepin'."

"Err. WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS TALKING! CAN'T YOU EVER JUST…"

"BE QUIET BOTH OF YOU! YOU ARE GIVING ME A HEADACHE!"

"What now? Who's sayin' that? Come on now show yerself!" But no one stepped forward to claim the voice that now echoed through the trees, nor did anyone respond to the wind master's hurried demand. "That was bein' Sazuka, I'm just knowin' it was. Come on out ya circus reject and fight us like a demon!"

Everything became silent in that moment. The wind stopped blowing, the water stopped flowing, and the birds no longer sang. It was as if the whole forest had died, and now the only sounds that remained were the demonic pair's own quickening heartbeats. Then, just as quickly as it had fallen, the silence was interrupted by the bending and breaking of trees as they were pushed aside by an unknown you-ki. "I AM INCLINED TO AGREE WITH YOU MY WINDY FOE, AS I WAS INDEED ONCE REJECTED BY THE MAKAI CIRCUS IN MY PLEA TO BECOME THEIR NEW MAGICIAN. BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE I HAVE TO REVEAL MYSELF TO YOU NO MATTER HOW DESPERATELY YOU MAY WANT ME TO. HOWEVER, AS I CANNOT RISK YOU INTERFERRING WITH MY GRAND PLANS, I FEEL I MUST GRANT YOUR REQUEST."

Again the trees began to twist and bend, and all at once the forest seemed to be filled with the very sounds of destruction itself. And, from out this carnage stepped forth the demon that would be the decider. The clown whose powers were unmatched by any, the villain who put all those who had come before him to shame. From out the twisted wreckage stepped…The Beautiful Sazuka.

!&()

"Sazuka. I knew it was bein' you. Only a rat like you could be stinkin' up an entire forest."

"Yes, yes, bravo my little wind demon, you WERE always one with words."

"Err, ENOUGH OF YOUR TALKING! LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT!"

The fire demon lept into the air, the glowing orbs of his fist of the mortal flame held high over his head.

"Ya, that's bein' the way Hiei! All fight and no play just the way I like it! And I been waitin' ta get a piece a this clown forever!" Now the wind master took to the skies, aided by the very air around him. He spun his arms and produced his double tornado fist attack, the one that had almost won him the tournament so many years before.

The two youkai lunged downward at their rainbow clad foe, both confident that this double assault would be enough to vanquish even the king of the makai himself. But luck (as it had been this entire journey) was not on their side. The Beautiful Sazuka raised his hands in warning and produced a shield that protected him on all sides. The demon pair's attacks struck home in what would have been a deadly blow, but were obliterated against the awesome power of Sazuka's protective barrier.

"Well now, that was really quite something. You fellows are to be commended. Now, here's one of MY old favorites. RAINBOW CYCLONE!"

The two youkai did not have time to react. In what seemed like a millisecond they were engulfed in a stream of light that shown in every color of the rainbow, only this time the light burned. Pain consumed the two youkai, and Jin felt as though his very flesh were melting away. Hiei, though he did not show it, was also feeling the effects of the attack, and as Jin glanced at his demon brethren he watched the bandanna literally melt from off Hiei's forehead, leaving his Jagan eye exposed. "Hn. Nice try clown, but you'll have to do better than that. SWORD OF THE MORTAL FLAME!" The dragon now lept forward once again, only this time his katana led the way.

"Yawn. Again with this. Well, if you didn't learn the first time then I guess I can't expect you understand the severity of what you are about to do." The Beautiful Sazuka once again held his hands out in front of him and conjured up his barrier spell, only this time it seemed to be much stronger than before.

The glowing blade of the katana fell down onto the self – made shield, but before it could make contact it, as well as its owner, was gone. A slight wind from behind caused the clown youkai to turn and, as he did so, he found himself face to face with the halfling to whom he had caused so much pain. "You may be good at blocking, but you still haven't improved your speed. SWORD OF THE MORTAL FLAME!"

The Beautiful Sazuka put his hands up once more and tried, in vain, to stop the uncoming weapon. It fell upon him, slashing him in half with one fallow swoop. "TORNADO FIST!" A wall of wind rushed at the dismembered youkai then, finishing off whatever sick parts remained. Then, the light that had once been Sazuka faded out, and all that remained were the few bits of tattered clothing that had not evaporated with the force of the combined attacks. The Beautiful Sazuka was no more.

"WE DID IT HIEI! WE WON! WE WON!" The wind demon rushed over and gave his companion a victory hug (much to his companion's disapproval). "CAN YA BELIEVE IT! CAN YA! WE DID IT!"

"GET OFF ME!" He pushed the red haired youkai off of him. "Don't you sense it? That was too easy." He paused a moment. "This just doesn't feel right."

At that moment, Hiei's shoulder was met by a gentle tapping and as he turned to once again reprimand Jin's childlike actions, he found himself face to face with the REAL Beautiful Sazuka. "No Hiei, I believe that it is YOUR speed that needs improvement. RAINBOW CYCLONE!"

The impact was even greater this time, as both wind and dragon were once again engulfed in a barrage of multi-colored light. The first Sazuka had only been a distraction, a means of tricking the youkai into using up some of their you-ki in order to make them weaker. It had worked. The demon pair now found themselves drained from the fighting that had taken place before, and with the force of this fully charged rainbow cyclone, they knew they no longer had a chance of winning. "HA HA HA HA! YOU BOYS SHOULD KNOW BETTER! NO ONE CAN DEFEAT ME! I AM THE BEAUTIFUL SAZUKA AND NOW YOU SHALL KNOW MY PAIN!" He raised his hands once more into the air, preparing what was to be the final blow. "RAINBOW CYCLO…"

"STOP!"

"Huh?"

All three demons turned their attention towards the direction of the intruding voice, all awaiting the owner's appearance. But it would be Sazuka that saw them first. "You. How can it be? How is that you've come back to haunt me now!" And though Jin could hardly believe his eyes, he recognized the look upon the clown demon's vile face. It was the look that no man nor youkai could fake and the look that brought the doom of all that had fallen under its spell. It was the look of pure unadulterated fear. And it would be this look that Jin would remember until the end of time….

!&()

Hope that was enough to make up for my lack of posting, and if it wasn't than I'm sorry (gomen nasai). But hey, look on the bright side, I didn't drop off the face of the earth or anything, and you've got another chapter coming your way! Isn't that exciting! Well…I think it is anyway. What's that? You say you'll only forgive my gap in posting dates if I let you have another gift from the bag? Well…ok, but make sure you only take ONE more. Hey! I said ONE! No, give them back! I said only ONE! Oh fine, take them, but don't say I never gave you anything. Maybe I'll even have more gifts to give away at the next chapter (whenever that decides to get written lol). Well, talk to ya all soon (or not depending on my writing), and remember to send in those reviews:)


	9. Confessions of a fragile mind

Ahhh, another day, another chapter. My my my, where does the time go? Well, I guess it goes home. I mean, if I was time, I wouldn't want to spend all day out on the town. Who would feed the fish? Plus, I bet I would want to sleep at some point. But then again, time keeps on going even at night. So does that mean that time never gets to go to bed? What about naps? I like naps, and I bet time would like them too if it were allowed to take them. So this chapter is for you time! Thanks for always being there when we need you! (and even when we don't) ENJOY: )

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (nick nack patty wack, give a dog a…scone?)

For what seemed like hours there was nothing but silence between the warring youkai,

and none were keen on being the first one to make a sound. They were all lying in wait for the newcomer to make themselves known, though one of them already knew. Finally, the faint cracking and snapping of twigs was heard, and that which had only been shadow come forth into light.

At first, Jin could not make out the demon that now stood before him, as the blinding pain from the previous attack was still festering within him. But after a few moments it all became clear and the wind master could not believe his eyes. "SUPIKA! HOW IS IT THAT YOU'RE BEIN' HERE!"

Again there was only silence, and the wind master's question lingered in the air like a heavy fog. Not one of them could believe the demon that now stood before them, and none really wanted to. There she was, the warrior of Mizummi no Himitsu, standing in all her glory, brandishing the same smile that had caused so many youkai to crumble before her. And, at last, she spoke. "Hoe shimatsu Sazuka, taka ma gwan no. . .why hello Sazuaka, I was afraid I wouldn't get the chance to see you again before your death. Demo kunta sha ikkiko wanmo…but now it seems that both of our wishes are about to come true. Anata was julo shomi…you shall have your death. Iie mai sone donno kai…and I shall be the one to kill you. . ."

As the warrior's speech ended, there came upon the forest a wind the likes of which had never been seen by mortal or youkai before. But this time it did not come from the wind master, nor from any other shinobi sect. And there was a feeling to it, a sense of anger that burned like fire as it touched the faces of the fallen ones. This wind was indeed the manifestation of all the bitter emotions one could perceive, and swirled and mixed the feelings of bitterness and sorrow within them all. Now would be the time of reckoning and shame, and it would be now that the end of the world would come. But out of this impending terror came a thing which none of them suspected. Fore in the same second that the wind had rose, so too had risen another, perhaps greater, injustice. A laugh.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh. Ahh Supika, you always were one for dramatics! But then again, how could I blame you? After all, you were engaged to the most dramatic performer in the makai!"

"CHUMPO KALAYLA SUNTA WA SHUN!...HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF THAT! WATASHI NI NO KOTOBE WA!...I SHALL MAKE YOU SUFFER!" And suddenly the wind became fierce and its force was that of a gale. All three youkai were swept by its tremendous power, and were carried upwards towards the heavens.

Having little to no understanding of the situation unfolding before them, neither Hiei nor Jin could formulate a plan of action. It seemed as though Supika had gone mad in her rage and was now set on destroying anything (or anyone) in her path. Apparently, Sazuka's words had spoken more volumes then the wind master had first anticipated, and now they were all about to pay for them.

After a few moments, the wind that had once supported them gave out, and an equally oppressive one came crashing down upon them. They were now spiraling towards the ground at what felt like the speed of light and in only a few moments all of them would die. Suddenly, everything came into perspective for Jin, and he no longer feared his imminent demise. The three worlds seemed to come together for him now, and he could see no separation between them. It was as if he was not falling so much as flying. And for the first time since he had started upon his journey Jin felt as though he were truly alive. His death meant that he could be with the one he truly loved, and so he would embrace it with everything he had. If this was his time then so be it, fore now he had nothing to fear. But some things in this world do not always turn out the way we expect them to, and for now the wind master would not receive that which he desired most. Fore Supika was, if nothing else, a loyal friend, and despite her rage she refused to cause harm to those she had come to respect as her own family. That is why before the impact, the female warrior created yet another air pocket, one whose job it would be to catch both the wind and fire demon. And, as it had been planned, it had come to pass. Only one would hit the ground in that moment, and it was all Supika could do to keep from conducting the heinous act once more.

Instead, the female youkai walked and stood over the smoking crater that now contained the body of one she knew very well. A man whom she had vowed to spend the rest of her days. . .

!#$&()

"TUNDO SAIMA SAZUKA, KIMI SHOMOMO!….I HAVE WAITED FOREVER FOR THIS DAY SAZUKA, THE DAY OF YOUR EXECTUTION! IMA MO FUTAOTE MASZUKA!...NOW YOU SHALL KNOW MY PAIN!"

"Aishiteru."

"Nani?...What?"

"Aishiteru." It was an old word, one that her village seldom used. There really was no translation for it and it would be near impossible for someone who was not a native speaker to understand. Essentially, it was all the feelings of love one could have placed into mortal speech, and only those who truly felt it dared to utter it, lest their emotions not be sure. In Mizummi no Himitsu it was a binding contract, and was considered by most to be a marriage vow. From the time Supika had come upon him in the woods during the dark tournament to the time when they had shared their first embrace Sazuka had spoken that word to her…and it was only now that Supika realized it was a lie….

Wow! How long has it been since my last posting? Yes, yes, too long I know. And I really have no excuse for it. Oh well, for those few fans that have sat in patient loyalty for me to return I say thank – you. And for those that have left me, I say please return. You know I love you all, and it is YOU that keep me going. I really have nothing more to say now, and I think that it's best for me to begin work on the next chapter while I'm still in the mood. You understand don't you? Thanks, and I'll see you at chapter 10: )


	10. The ends of beginnings

So here we are again my friends, and I hope that you are as excited as I. This is the final chapter of this particular installment and there will be more details about my next project upon its completion. I guess I should take this time to, yet again, say how sorry I am for not having posted sooner, but ya know what? I'm really not. I mean, I love writing these stories and I hope that I never have to stop, but I am also very proud of myself in the fact that I'm in college, have a full time summer job, and have an active social life. I can only hope that you all have the same. In any case, I guess we should continue on. As this is the final chapter, as many of you already know, it is also the longest one. I hope that it is enough to fill your stomachs until the second course is served, and remember that the gracious guest does not take a second helping until the host has finished eating. ENJOY :)

I do not own jin and touya nor yu yu hakusho (now with 100 more soy!)

As the dust began to settle over the battle ground, a new calm began to set in over the forest. Sazuka was not dead, they were all sure of this, but with the clown youkai now unconscious the final phase of Koenma's plan could be put into action. None of them had time to think about this, however, as there were but a few minutes left before the end of their world would come to pass, and even as they drew into themselves the very air which gave them life the precious seconds were escaping from them. Now, they would have to act.

Both Jin and Hiei were still injured from the battle with Sazuka, and it pained each of them to even stand on their own two feet. But still they managed to struggle upwards and carry themselves over to where Supika now stood. She had about her a look of intense concentration, made all the more visible by the folds in her forehead as she gazed upon the limp form of her ex-lover. Neither youkai wanted to say anything to her, fore they knew that she had just caused herself the greatest pain anyone could ever feel. It was one thing to harm an enemy, and quite another to cause pain to one who had BECOME your enemy. And so, for this reason, they let her be, and would even in the future never mention what had transpired on this day of days. "Soudo komaiyo. Jima higan nainda yo tsu…We haven't much time. We must take the bottles from him.". This the warrior goddess said to no one in particular, and yet both the fire and wind demon knew that she meant for them to do it. And so, without further hesitation, the two youkai climbed down into the crater and retrieved that which was more valuable to them . . .then a thousand lifetimes. . .

!#$&()

It was over now, and to Jin it seemed as though a thousand years had passed since he had first set out on what had become his most amazing adventure, and as he rose higher into the heavens he reflected on all that he had learned. He now realized, perhaps for the first time, that those whom he surrounded himself with could not always be trusted, but he believed that he was indeed wiser for the experience. But beyond that, Jin now knew that no matter where he turned, there would be someone willing to help in his most desperate times of need. Help had come to the wind master in forms he had never expected, and even now as his journey led to a close, he felt a though those who had been there would continue to be until the end of his days. All these things Jin now understood and, though they were happy ones, those truths were also riddled with the pains and regrets he now held deep within him. Fore no good deed goes unpunished, and no action, however pure, is done with complete selflessness. The truth of the matter was, the wind master had done all he had for the sake of one other, and it was to him that he now flew. Had it not been for Touya, Jin knew he would not have succeeded, and the worlds which he had just saved would lye in ruin. But that hardly mattered now. They had won, they HAD succeeded, and now they were on their way to claim their most valued prize.

!#$&()

The trip to the spirit world seemed to take forever as the demons soared over the acres of twisted white clouds. Botan, having accompanied and aided Supika on her trip to Hanging Neck Island, had made it possible for all three of the hero youkai to travel together, in that she once more allowed Supika passage on her oar, while Jin, yet again, held the fire demon tightly under his arms. But things, as things most always do, were finally starting to look up, and now the demonic trio could see a light at the end of what once had been a very long and very treacherous tunnel. Once they reached Koenma's, their tale would finally conclude, and with this closing, a new chapter of their lives could begin. It was like reading a favored story, one that you have read many times before. Though the characters remain the same, each time is like looking at it from another point of view . . . and you love it even more. In this way, the demons had all created their own stories, ones that they would tell for eternities to come. And though embellishments would be made, and exaggerations told, and parts added in, the feelings would remain the same, and now there would always be a happy ending.

!#$&()

Surprisingly enough, Koenma's plan had come to pass without a hitch, and in but a matter of weeks the makai and nigenkai seemed to be getting back to normal (though what was to be considered normal no one really knew). The spirit hunters were now no longer searching for the missing souls, and in turn people were now being permitted to pass on. Sazuka, though still unconscious, had been taken into the custody of the makai's finest spirit detectives (one Yusuke Urameshi not included) and was awaiting trial baring the complete revival of the three worlds. The young makai prince had also begun the paperwork to have both Kurama's and Touya's souls delivered back into their respective bodies, and it would be little more than a month before everything would be in order. Now there was nothing to do but wait. . .

!#$&()

Touya couldn't really remember much of anything anymore, and he really didn't want to try. After his soul had been placed back within his body, everything seemed unfamiliar, almost scary. Koenma had told him that it would take awhile before he would be able to move, or even regain consciousness, but somewhere deep inside of him the ice demon had wished the he would be the exception. Quietly, almost painfully, he waited while he became himself and could do little more than think as he rested in a constant state of limbo. But Touya didn't mind, if it meant that he would once more be alive to be with his beautiful Jin. In truth, this whole ordeal had had an impact on the ice warrior, and it was only now that he was able to see what was truly important in his life. His friend, his companion had fought for him, and in so doing put himself in incredible danger. Sure he made a few mistakes, but that could be overlooked. After all, hadn't HE also done things that he now regretted? Yes, he could overlook them, and any other mistakes that were sure to come about, fore that was just the way of things.

WHAT WAS THAT SONG HE USED TO SING TO ME? The ice demon now thought. HOW DID THAT GO? SOMETHING ABOUT ROADS? "ROADS GO EVER, EVER ON, OVER ROCK AND UNDER TREE. BY CAVES WHERE NEVER SUN HAS SHONE, BY STREAMS THAT NEVER FIND THE SEA. OVER SNOW BY WINTER SOWN, AND THROUGH THE MERRY FLOWERS OF JUNE. OVER GRASS AND OVER STONE, AND UNDER THE MOUNTAINS IN THE MOON!" SUCH AN IDIOTIC SONG, AND HE NEVER DID FINISH IT. BUT. . .BUT STILL I CAN HEAR HIM SINGING IT. . . EVEN NOW.

"Roads go ever, ever on,

Over rock and under tree.

By caves where never sun has shown,

By streams that never find the sea.

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June.

Over grass and over stone,

And under the mountains in the moon!"

WHY DOES HE KEEP SINGING THAT? CAN'T HE SEE I'M TRYING TO REST. HUH . . . ALWAYS LIKE HIM. NEVER GIVING ME A CHANCE TO SLEEP. WELL, NOT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO TELL HIM STRAIGHT OFF.

And the ice master opened his eyes then, guided by the voice of his long time friend and protector, and it was as though he were doing it for the first time. His eyes were new and had been replaced by the finest doctors the makai had to offer. But Touya seemed not to realize that now, as he had been in the dark for far too long. All he knew now, was that he was staring at perhaps the most beautiful creature in all the three worlds, with eyes that shined like diamonds and hair that burned like fire when the sun shown upon it.

"Hey there Touya, glad ta be seein' ya awake. Thought that maybe ya'd be sleepin' forever on me . . . but then . . . ya never really were one for wakin' up on time were ya?" He winked and then turned his face towards the field that lay before them. They were outside, at Touya's favorite place, where he had once told Jin that felt the most alive, and it was all the ice demon could have asked for. "I uh. . . was finishin' somethin' while you were bein' asleep. Though ya might like ta be hearin' it.

Roads go ever, ever on,

Over rock and under tree.

By caves where never sun has shown,

By streams that never find the sea.

Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June.

Over grass and over stone,

And under the mountains in the moon!

Roads go ever, ever on,

Under cloud and under star.

Though feet wand'ring have gone far,

Turn at last to home afar.

Eyes that fire and sword have seen,

And horror in the halls of stone.

Look at last on meadows green,

And trees and hills they long have known. . ."

For a long time after that the wind master said nothing, fore everything that needed to be, had been through his song. And Touya himself wouldn't have had it any other way. Like them, their song now had an ending, and it was one in which everything seemed to come together. It was enough, and for Touya there could be no greater joy than this. And though he had already passed on and had seen the heavens, the ice master felt as though he were back there. Of course, it was not exactly the same, but it was close enough. Yes. And even as he lay there unmoving in the meadow with nothing but the lingering notes of Jin's song upon the wind to embrace him, Touya was indeed in paradise.

YES. He thought. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT AMONG THE CLOUDS, I MUST SURELY BE THERE AGAIN. JUST BEING WITH HIM . . . IT MAKES ME . . . HE MUST BE . . . MY SOMETHING CLOSE TO HEAVEN. . .

Wow, this has certainly been a long road for us hasn't it? Thank you all for being there for me and for being so supportive through this entire series. I know we've had a few rough patches and other nasty bumps, but I like to think that there were more good times than bad. We shared laughs, tears, and heartache as we traveled through this tangled web. We bit our nails and sat on the edge of our seats together and waited even though it seemed like there was no hope. I think, in that respect, we truly are a family and it will be hard to see you all go. Ending this series is like saying good-bye to an old friend. It is part of me, and part of all of you as well. I hope you take this series as being more of an experience than just simply a story, fore that was what I was hoping for. I wanted all of you to get a glimpse of who I was, and I hope that I have become a worthy person for your praise. But I hope to one day write more stories (though I can't say exactly when or what about), and I hope that you all will send me ideas that you would like to see written. Who knows, maybe it could turn out to be a whole new series. :) I would also like to ask the same of any new readers that happen to come across my stories and read them to this point. Please feel free to review me at anytime, even if it's a year from now or even a day. I love you all. . . and. . .thank you.

Love always,

The-Sixth-Shinobi

ENJOY:)


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